also white; the rest of the quill feathers barred deep reddish orange and
brownish red. Tail feathers liver-brown, and variegated with a number of
incomplete light bars, formed by a congeries of short waved butf-orange lines
extending along the feathers ; the last half of the two outermost tail feathers,
and the basal portion of the outer vane of the outermost one, white. Breast
dark reddish brown, the feathers towards their points blotched with white or
sienna-yellow. Belly, flanks, and vent buff-orange ; the former barred transversely
with brownish red. Legs and toes yellowish brown, with a fleshy tint.
Eyes deep umber-brown.
F orm, &c.—Bill, anterior to frontal feathers, triangular, towards the point
narrow, compressed, and much curved, towards the base strongly depressed.
Gape very large, the angle of the mouth below the hinder angle of the eyq.
Wings moderately long, slightly rounded, and when folded reach to within
about an inch of the tip of the ta il; the second and third quill feathers equal
and longest, the fourth slightly shorter, and the first a little shorter than the
fourth ; the tertiary quill feathers in length about equal to the sixth primary
quill feather. Tail slightly rounded. Tarsi moderately robust, and anteriorly,
towards upper extremity, covered with feathers; elsewhere scutellated. The
middle toe is considerably longer and stronger than the lateral ones, to each
of which it is connected, as far as the first joint, by a membranous web ; claw
long, slightly curved, and strongly pectinated, the other claws short, strongly
curved, and pointed.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the tip of the bill to the
point of the tail ......... 9 3
of the bill to the angle of the
mouth ......................... 1 2
of the wings when folded ... 6 3
of the tail............... ............. 4 6
Inches. Lines.
Length of the tarsus ............... .,.. .0 8
. of the outer toe .... 0 5.1
of the middle toe................. 0 9
of the inner toe ............. . 0 6
hinder toe ............. 0
Female.—Colours the same as those of the male, only neither so deep nor so
bright.
The.twc> specimens of this species which I possess—all I have yet seen—were killed in the
vicinity of Port Natal, and were, at the time they were shot, actively employed in catching insects
in the dusk of the evening, close to a Kaffer kraal, and in the same locality in which they had
been watched fori several evenings before.